On May 7, 2026, Danny Price, 63, of Loyalton, California, died in a head-on collision on Highway 70 in Plumas County. A Ford F-150 entered the eastbound lane close to Vinton, colliding with a Ford Explorer and Price’s Dodge Dart. After being rescued by firefighters from his car, he was transported to Renown Regional Medical Center, where he subsequently passed away.
At approximately 11:17 a.m. on May 7, 2026, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) dispatch center received reports of a head‑on collision on State Route 70 east of State Route 49 in Vinton. Investigators determined that Danny Shaffer, 69, of Beckwourth, was driving a Ford F‑150 westbound when he crossed into the eastbound lane.
The pickup truck first collided with a Ford Explorer driven by 22‑year‑old Trenton Schwier of Chilcoot, who was traveling eastbound with his family. The Explorer spun out and came to rest on the south dirt shoulder. Shaffer’s vehicle continued forward and struck the Dodge Dart driven by Danny Price, who was traveling directly behind the Explorer.
Price was trapped inside his Dodge Dart after the collision. Fire personnel and CHP officers worked to extricate him from the wreckage. He was transported by Care Flight air ambulance to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Shaffer exited his vehicle on his own and was taken by ground ambulance to Renown Regional Medical Center for treatment. Schwier and his family were not visibly injured but sought medical evaluation as a precaution.
CHP investigators stated that impairment is not suspected to be a factor in the crash. The cause of Shaffer’s lane departure remains under investigation. Authorities have asked anyone with information to contact the CHP Quincy Area office at 530‑283‑1100.
The CHP expressed gratitude to Eastern Plumas Health Care, the U.S. Forest Service, Beckwourth Peak Fire Protection District, Care Flight, Crescent Tow, and the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance at the scene. The incident blocked traffic in the rural community of Vinton and highlighted the dangers of sudden lane departures on highways without physical barriers.